Support for LateToSchool

Parent Cafe
3401

<p>Marite, the problem is that nothing seems to be constant. For example, one minute I am craving the eggs, the next minute, some other thing. This weekend, for example, I just HAD to have orange cream sickles. But then the sugar in them almost killed me, or it felt like it any way. I am trying to listen to my body and go with the flow. I suspect it is driving my caregivers nuts as they keep running to the grocery store to fullfill my latest desperate craving - they’re not complaining (yet) but I’m starting to feel like a flake.</p>

<p>My current plan is to try to keep it bland - tonight my dinner plan is fresh corn, and watermelon. This morning, I had eggs, toast, potatoes etc. at my desk - very nice restaurant downstairs made it for me - but then I have been working at my desk in a daze for the last couple of hours, because the food is hitting my system so hard…so…I think perhaps if I try to keep things as simple as possible, that should help (I hope)…</p>

<p>By the way, I still intend to send to you my draft nomination document in PM; I meant to have it done this weekend but I just couldn’t pull it off…I hope to get some writing done towards the end of this week…</p>

3402

<p>LTS:</p>

<p>When I had to have treatment, I met a chef who had written a booklet of recipes for patients who were undergoing chemo. I looked through it, but did not need it myself. Basically, I remember that the recipes were quite simple and rather bland. A lot of tofu and eggs.
I’ll be happy to read the draft whenever it’s ready. We’ll be having a quiet July 4 weekend as S has been invited to visit friends.</p>

3403

<p>Marite, I cannot thank you enough…</p>

3404

<p>In addition to snacking on crackers, can you snack on nuts? Nuts are much higher in protein and fat than crackers, but they’re just as easy to eat and pretty bland. You’ve mentioned Boost shakes, but maybe also try looking for the protein shakes made for serious athletes. Those ones have lots of calories and usually have good vitamins in them, too. Do you like avocados? Guacamole, beans, and rice are all pretty bland but can make a good, healthy, rich meal together.</p>

3405

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<p>–James J. Corbett (again, but the quote has been on my mind today)</p>

3406

<p>LTS- some thoughts for bland food (my specialty) Baked potatoes, both regular and sweet potatoes. egg noodles, I mix these with almost anything, sometimes chopped hard boiled egg and tuna. or just add grilled chicken. I don’t know how you are with cheese, but grilled cheese usually is good. PB&J also good for protein and calories. </p>

<p>Feel Good and Stay Strong
4Giggles</p>

3407

<p>Fruit & yogurt smoothies can be good, clean, & sweet (like in place of creamsicles?). Adding protein powder ups the calories and nutrients.</p>

3408

<p>LTS – I tried to drop it, but I had to expand on the Y word (yoga). Please humor me and read on. I promise not to bring it up again. I know you prefer action and I know – I do! – it is tough to concentrate or learn something new when you feel so poorly. </p>

<p>The background: My chiropractor recommended yoga to me a bajillion years ago for back trouble. I went in spite of the fact that I am decidedly not limber (or graceful). The yoga got me out of a weekly chiropractor habit. The yoga classes I attended incorporated some controlled breathing techniques as well. A couple of years later I chose the “Bradley Method” to help me through labor. Chose it because the breathing techniques were similar to what I learned in the yoga classes, and it worked very well for me. Second child, I did not practice breathing beforehand and it did not work so well. Years later in a stressful work environment, I attended some meditation classes to help cope. We were taught a variety of meditation methods under the general heading of “mindfulness,” one of which was quite similar to the yoga/Bradley breathing I had learned before. Recently I worked with a personal trainer to try to improve my desk job posture and the things we did were very much like the yoga I had learned years before. Same stuff seems to keep coming up under different names.</p>

<p>Long story short…Maybe there is something from your past that you can retool to help you through your day or get the blood flowing with a minimum of exertion. Looking past the label or the context at the time, perhaps some stretching exercises (something for your disk problem maybe?) that made you feel good, or breathing exercises from labor classes or a venture into meditation. </p>

<p>Just putting it out there for consideration, no reply needed.</p>

<p>On another topic, It is so hard to stand by and not know what to do when someone you care about is hurting. I think that allowing your family and friends to help you is a gift to them, and not an imposition at all. </p>

<p>Sorry to go on so long! Good wishes for these tough days.</p>

3409

<p>Mikasauntie, I am always so happy to see posts of support; please don’t apologize. Even if I cannot make use of this right away, surely others lurking are benefiting. I do frequently go back through these posts and I am sure that I am going to try Yoga eventually. My daughter is a HUGE fan of Yoga, and considers it part of her physical fitness routine. I think she has given up trying to convert me though because she knows I’m a ditzy klutz. </p>

<p>My struggle with food continues I am sorry to say. Last night, I had my corn, but, I was hungry, so, I ate too much - things I shouldn’t have eaten probably - such as cottage cheese, then sharp cheese and crackers…anyway, had upset stomach almost all night. I felt as if I had eaten a plate of concrete. </p>

<p>This morning, I am sticking with Boost only. I will see my doctor this afternoon for our weekly appointment and see what he thinks. </p>

<p>My caregivers are all poised to run to the grocery store tonight, what can they feed me? I talked to them this morning and I think maybe we decided eggs, and tofu, and some very, very basic vegetables. </p>

<p>On a humorous note, I do NOT like Hillary Clinton AT ALL (no offense intended to those who do) - (I am pretty much at this point a tentative Republican for Obama though that could change) - anyway, I woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible stomach ache, and from a dream - Hillary Clinton was standing there holding a bottle of PeptoBismal (sp??), telling me I need to try to make some effort to understanding her positions before I could have the relief available in the PeptoBismal - - just prior to going to bed I’d had a political discussion with one of my caregivers who likes Hillary (we actually could not possibly be further apart in our political beliefs), and, anyway, I decided that was scary karma, so, no more political discussions for me before bedtime…</p>

<p>I told my caregiver about it this morning, she laughed at me…oh, my…</p>

3410

<p>^^LTS;</p>

<p>That is SO funny! I have to say that Hillary has a slightly schoolmarmish demeanor.</p>

<p>Tofu has no flavor, so you can try to disguise with mild flavoring (no Tex-Mex!) I am somewhat allergic to milk products. I love cheese but too much makes me feel queasy. Yogurt goes down more easily.
My H was on a liquid diet many years ago after he broke his jaw. It lasted six weeks. He drank a lot of Boost or something like that, and thick, creamy soups. At least you don’t have to take your nourishment through a straw, and that should give you more options.</p>

3411

<p>My D has survived for years on Carnation Instant Breakfast. If you get tired of Boost, you might try that. Also, consider snack packs of pudding - Quick, easy convenience food that goes down smoothly. Bananas are the classic soft, bland food.</p>

<p>When my S1 had stomach surgery, he was on a soft bland diet for 6 weeks. He lost weight, of course, but found pastas went down well. Mashed potatoes are good, too.</p>

3412

<p>Mikasauntie, I loved your post. </p>

<p>LTS, How awful that Hillary appeared in your dream! You do have to avoid the political discussions. Think about someone calming as you go to sleep.</p>

<p>I don’t have much to add to the good food suggestions, except to repeat my earlier suggestion to try fresh ginger tea. You can drink it hot or cold, and I find that it really helps a cold or upset stomach. You should not try it, of course, if it does not sound appealing. I make it by peeling and chopping a big chunk of ginger, and boiling for a long time in water.</p>

3413

<p>My recipe for yogurt smoothies - no added sugar. Blend plain yogurt with a banana and two kinds of frozen fruit: strawberries/mangoes are a good combination. I run water over the frozen fruit for a few minutes to partially thaw it. The banana makes it thick and sweet enough. I use an immersion blender. You can also use a couple of tablespoons of frozen, concentrated OJ instead of the mango.</p>

3414

<p>Don’t mean to be gross. It is probably important to deal with the side effect of either retaining digested food for too long or too short of a period in you digetive track. It is something that your onc can deal with. Best wishes,</p>

3415

<p>Oatmeal is also nourishing, and bland.</p>

3416

<p>Late: I loved your Hillary dream.</p>

<p>immersion blender: great tool, I have Braun. Beats regular blender.</p>

3417

<p>I love my immersion blender, too. I think mine is Cuisinart, but am not sure. They’re very inexpensive and work well.</p>

3418

<p>I got mine to make homemade soap. I would not have the patience
to make soap without it.</p>

3419

<p>When I was a child, I loved bland turkey tetrazzini – chopped turkey or chicken and Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, mixed with cooked spaghetti and baked. It is very soothing, but more of a “real meal” than a yogurt smoothie. Add a little Parmesan if you can handle it.</p>

<p>I have been using my immersion blender all week! I have been cooking liquid meals for my boyfriend, who had some gum surgery. Friday I pureed chicken-potato soup and on Saturday, bean-and-ham soup. For breakfast I made hasty pudding (cornmeal stirred into boiling water) with maple syrup, and soft scrambled eggs. Some of these dishes might work for you, too.</p>

<p>Now that I think about it, banana pudding is another delicious “nursery food” that might sit well. Make instant pudding with whole milk for the extra calories, then layer it with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers and refrigerate.</p>

3420

<p>Hi lts,
Maybe you’ve answered this question lately, and I know I and others have mentioned it before, so I’m very sorry if this is redundant:</p>

<p>Have you connected with an oncology dietitian yet? I have a friend who is a specialist in this area and there are a few good cookbooks that are organized by symptoms. If you have diarrhea, or conversely, are constipated, for example, there are recipes designed to minimize these problems. The recipes are tasty, simple and very nutritious. </p>

<p>Here’s her favorite. Hope the mods will allow the link to stay up for a little while :)</p>

<p>Betty Crocker’s Living with Cancer Cookbook: Easy Recipes and Tips through Treatment and Beyond: Kris Ghosh, Linda Carson, Elyse Cohen</p>